The Cubs are more than just a baseball team

The Chicago Cubs are often referred to as the lovable losers. They had not won a World Series in 108 years and a national league pennant in 71 years until the recent win this year. My family has been Cubs fan ever since I can remember. My dad was their biggest fan. He instilled a love in the Cubbies at an early age and passed down the passion to his five grand kids.

He took us to Chicago as often as he could and when the grand kids came along, we all went together. Most games they didn't win, we didn't care. We sat in Wrigley Field eating our popcorn and cracker jacks and cheered them on together as a family. My dad said he loved Wrigley because it was one of the last old school ball parks; you could just smell the peanuts and hot dogs and enjoy a ball game. He ran away from his home in Kentucky when he was 15 years old and ended up in Chicago selling magazine subscriptions door to door until his father finally found him. Chicago was where he wanted to be, and even at the age of 15 he found a way of getting what he wanted. He went to his first Cubs game and he was hooked.

My oldest son went when he was three. My dad drove us both to Chicago. We rode the Ferris wheel at the Navy Pier and took the L train to Wrigley Field. This was also my first game. I was a ballerina girl, never really interested in ball games. But having my first son changed me and I'm glad I went. I too was hooked; Cubs fan for life.

My dad took my brother for a play off game in 2003 and although they lost, they made a great memory.

My sister and her family have been several times and my niece and nephew are also loyal Cubs fans.

When Chris and I married, we took a trip to Chicago to celebrate Tony's bday and we have taken the boys several times to cheer for our Cubs. 

So, when they made it to the World Series this year we had to go. Bryce and I got in the car and drove over 1500 miles in 48 hours to Cleveland to see game two. It was the road trip of a lifetime in memory of my dad and we talked about him throughout the journey. It was amazing to see them win but it was even better to spend that time with my oldest son.

It was more than a trip to the World Series because being a Cubs fan is more than just watching baseball. Win or loose they made it and we will always root, root, root for the Cubbies! #flythew

Pops guided us the entire journey, that's his favorite hat on the dashboard. 

"Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience," Colossians 1:11

Grace and Peace, 

Misty 

A note to my son on his 18th birthday

My first born, the baby boy who made me a mom first, came into this world 18 years ago today.  My life forever changed that day and it has been a journey filled with equal amounts of joy and heartbreak, tears, celebrations, and an abundance of love. I learned as I went with him, since he was my first and we evolved together.

He learned a lot of life's tough lessons early and I know there are still many to learn. As he moves through the next stage of his life, I hope he remembers a few things I've taught him along the way....

1. Always put God first, always. There are no short cuts on this one.
2. Trust your "inner voice" your gut, that's God whispering to you, listen.
3.  Right is right and wrong is wrong, there are no grey areas. If in your gut, you know it is wrong, do not do it. It is that simple.
4. Respect women always, open doors, pull out her chair, take time to truly listen to her. Treat her like the gift she is.
5. Be joyful, grateful, and humble. Life is full of daily miracles, notice them.
6. You do not need a group of many friends, you need a couple of true friends. When you find them, hold onto them,
7. Remember those life lessons you learned early? Don't forget them, don't repeat them. Learn from them and move forward.
8. Work hard now for the next five years. If you work hard your Senior year and all through college you will be able to play the rest of your life. You will be set up to succeed. If you play the next five years, you will work the rest of your life. The choice is yours, choose wisely.
9. When in doubt, open your bible.  You will find the answers.
10. I am always here for you. No problem is too big, no worry is too small.

Bryce, I truly believe the best is yet to come in your life. God has a plan and it's amazing to watch it unfold. It's been a joy to walk with you the last 18 years. Happy Birthday, today is your day. I hope you celebrate, dance, sing and are joyful today and every day. I love you to heaven and back.

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6


Grace and Peace,
Mom

Everyone has a story to tell, sometimes you simply have to just be silent to hear them

I love to travel, to see new things and meet new people. But mostly I love to travel to learn new stories. We all have a story to tell. Some of us deliver our stories in a whisper, through our actions and others, well you just know it because they deliver them in a louder way. Our stories make us who we are, tell where we have been and give others a glimpse on where we are going. Sometimes people will share their stories with you instantly and sometimes it takes time but often you just have to be silent long enough to truly hear them.

All of them have similar themes of hope, celebrations, love, sorrow and loss and what you find out along the way is that our stories have things in common. We all overcome obstacles, experience heartbreak and face losses in this life.

During my recent trip to Ireland I met John. John was playing the flute overlooking the Coumeenole beach in Dingle Co Ireland. His music was beautiful and in the perfect setting.

 I talked to him for a few minutes, bought a CD and asked his name. I thanked him for the beautiful music and asked if I could take a picture.

It was funny, the first picture was quick.

 The, he said let me hug you and take another.

Well the hug was a little too tight but it made me giggle and now John is a part of my Ireland vacation story and I play his CD often and remember the beautiful scenery along coastal Ireland.

Then a little further down the coast, I met Charlotte. Charlotte was a precious toddler. Her dad was the caretaker of the beehive huts which are dwellings dating back to the 12th century. We waved, she gave me a high five and told me bye. It was a brief interaction but she touched my heart. She was a beautiful little girl in a gorgeous setting along the Dingle Peninsula.

If we slow down and look around, we see stories everywhere. "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for which such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:16.

Grace and Peace,
Misty

Grief is a journey

My dad left this world a little over six months ago. Since that time I've learned many things, but mostly I've learned that grief is a journey. It's not a final destination, it's not breathing through the initial shock, it's not surviving the funeral or all of the details, it's a journey. It definitely comes over you in waves and at first it's all about getting through the waves when they are the strongest. Then the waves become a part of the new you. You realize they are not going to go away, you have to learn to live with them.

A few other insights from the past six months:

1. After a loss of a parent you become a different person. You don't make this choice, it just happens. You are different. I'm a fatherless daughter. There's a hole and a sense of emptiness and I don't think the hole will ever be filled.  You won't understand it until you have been through it and you don't want to understand it, it's heartbreaking. My friends who had lost their dads before me were a great comfort to me the first few days and weeks after his death. I knew they "got it" and they were living with a great loss themselves and I was now a member of their club.

2. You begin to truly appreciate each day. Each day is a gift and although the grief is always there your eyes are open to the true beauty of the moment.

3. You have no tolerance for drama or politics. I had very little tolerance for it before but now I have absolutely no room for drama of any kind in my life. Time is too precious to waste the energy.

4. The bigger the love the greater the sense of loss. My dad and I had our ups and downs like most relationships but I always knew he loved me. He loved me and those around him BIG. Because his loved and lived BIG, I feel a big sense of loss. But, I also have big memories that carry me through the waves.

5. You won't realize the true impact he had on your life until he is gone. I worked with my dad every day for the past eight years but I did not realize just how much he meant to me until he was gone. It was only when I could not call him, when he didn't walk in the door at the office, when his seat was empty at the dining room table that I fully understood his enormous presence in my life and the life of my boys.  

6. He is always with me. I feel his presence often.  Sometimes is a cardinal that lands on the tree outside of my office window at just the right time. Sometimes it's a whisper, a voice that guides me. Sometimes it's a word or expression. You just have to listen and be aware.

7. Loss let's you see more clearly. Sometimes it's things you don't want to see but things you need to see. The truth somehow comes to light. You learn who you can really trust.

8. You won't "get over it." It's not something you will ever get over. You will learn to live with the loss but it will never go away and those who have not experienced it will not understand it. You can't expect them to understand.

9. Nothing can prepare you for the initial sense of loss. My dad was sick for several years and I knew his years were numbered but nothing could have ever prepared me for that moment, that phone call; it was the biggest shock of my life. God carried me through, that is the only way I managed those first few days.

10. You learn that life will go on. It will be forever changed but you can choose how to walk through the journey.

I'm choosing to walk through this journey by living and loving BIG in his honor, one day at a time....

Grace and Peace,

Misty

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In transition, always a work in progress

Have you ever been in transition? Temporarily hanging out (or sometimes it feels more like dangling) somewhere on your way to something or somewhere new. I'm there right now, in transition.

God not only closed a door for me recently. He slammed it shut and locked it. This forced me into my current state of transition. I knew I needed to walk through the door but sometimes God has to shove me through the door.

So, now here I am hanging out in the hallway. The door is locked so I can't reenter. Where do I go? Do I go nowhere and just wait for something to happen? Do I move somewhere temporarily and wait for the next step?

Well, I'm not one to go nowhere. I'm a planner, a doer, a list maker and a list checker. But, it's hard to be the "doer me" when I'm not clear on the direction. God keeps telling me to not give up and to give it time. My natural instinct is to ask - "How long do I have to wait," and "Just how much time are we talking about here?" But, I know from past transitions that God does not work that way. I'm getting better at that realization because you see I've been here many times before. God is trying to teach me something and I trust that His lesson will lead me to somewhere I would never have ventured on my own.

I feel like the character in the Dr. Seuss book, Oh, the Places You'll Go. When I first learned I was in transition my perspective was not bright and cheery. I actually wanted to sit in my closet and not come out.
The line in the book was fitting:

Un-slumping yourself is not easily done." The first step was definitely un-slumping myself. That took about a week. Remember, we are all a work in progress.


Someone said to me, "Your smart, you will figure it out." Well, I was feeling sorry for myself for a few days and I didn't want to be smart, I didn't want to figure it out. I wanted it to go away.  But the words in the book were true,...

Then I decided I couldn't stand still.

Life sure is a balancing act. I'm moving forward along with some great people who are willing to travel in this adventure with me. We don't know where it will lead us, but we can not stand still. We're off to great places.

It definitely feels like a mountain. But, we are willing to climb it.

I love this Dr. Seuss book, it can apply to all of our lives. My sister gave it to me for my high school graduation and I pull it out often and look through the colorful pages.

We are all off to great places. Life is one grand adventure!

Grace and Peace,
Misty

Giving my boys roots and wings

My husband and I have always made it our goal to give our boys both roots and wings. We think it's important to ground them in faith, family and friends so they always know who they are and whose they are. It's also important to let them fly on their own when the time is right.

Today the time came for our oldest son to spread his wings. He left this morning for a seven day trip to Europe with a small group from our church. The program he is attending is called SLU, Student Leadership University. It's a progressive program that began in Orlando, DC last year and this year it concludes in Paris, Normandy, Oxford and London. Student Leadership University's mission is to develop and equip student leaders to Think, Dream, and Lead. The goal is "to instill future tense thinking; character-driven decision making; ownership of biblical values; and a commitment to influence through service."

He attended SLU 101 when he was 14 and entering his freshman year and has been saving for SLU 301 since he returned from 101 two years ago. I say this to explain that this program "anchored" him. The program spoke to him and he made it a goal to continue the journey knowing he would be 90% financially responsible for it. He worked odd jobs for friends and family and saved birthday and Christmas money. Family members also contributed to the SLU fund.

SLU 101 came at a time when he needed direction and guidance, and my husband and I are grateful for his experiences.T oday when we took him to the airport, he suddenly seemed so much older and more mature. I have the deep sense that this journey will change him even more. My mom intuition is telling me this will be life changing for my oldest son. My husband and I have not traveled "across the pond" and we are excited Bryce has this opportunity to be the first in our immediate family to have this experience. We have no idea what he will see and learn and can not wait to watch the transformation upon his return.

If you asked me a few years ago if I would let any of my children travel out of the country without me I would have said no. God has been working on me too during the time my son has been saving for this journey. He has been preparing me for this day. I know that because I was not nervous or sad this morning. I was excited, proud and hopeful.

The parenthood journey is harder than I ever expected. It has its shares of extreme highs and extreme lows and we have made mistakes along the way. But, it is also so very rewarding. Seeing your children grow and mature and take big life steps is so much fun. I know we are far from over in this parenting journey. Today was a special one and I plan to store it in my memory bank and draw on it when I am discouraged as I know he has many hard lessons ahead to learn.

So, for now while he flies through the night to reach London in the morning, I will rest easy knowing that he is ready for this journey for ,"when the root is deep, there is no reason to fear the wind."

Grace and Peace,
Misty

God Always Has a Plan

All three of my boys attend Briarcrest Christian School and our school family was hit by a devastating tragedy early yesterday morning. A group of four rising seniors and a grandmother were headed to the beach to celebrate one of the girl's birthdays when a drunk driver hit their car and took the life of two of the girls.

While I did not know the two who were taken from us personally, my oldest did and my middle son is a classmate of one of their siblings. Our school is small and this tragedy was felt by all. From a mother's perspective, I can not imagine the loss, the pain, the hole that must be in their hearts.

I do not know a lot of things. I do not know why they were taken so young, I do not know why the drunk driver had four previous DUI's and was still on the road, I do not know why any parent has to experience the loss of a child. But, I do know that God is in control. God has a plan for all of our lives.

We will not always understand or agree with the plan. But it is His plan and it works for the good of those who love Him. When we have fulfilled His plan for our life he promises us a much better place than what we experience on this earth. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."Revelation 21:4

Rachel's dad spoke at the end of the memorial service today and he asked all of the current and former BCS students to stand. He asked them to live this day forward to honor their best lives. To make sense of the loss of two of their own, to honor life moving forward. 

That is my wish for my BCS family, to honor their memory, to lift each other up, to support one another. To live to fulfill God's purpose for their lives.

At the end of the prayer vigil, students released balloons for the girls. Green and gold are the school colors and the green and gold balloons were tied together. Notice how many of the other colored balloons were whisked away quickly? Then the others dissipated. Two yellow balloons lingered a minute, they were separated from the others and did not fly away immediately.

Fly high Rachel and Maddie. Stay grounded BCS students, keep reaching to do your best every day, lift one another up in honor of your classmates and in Jesus name.

"What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."1 Corinthians 14:26

"So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up building." Romans 14:19 

Grace and Peace,
Misty